Today’s news is a bitter blow to those of us who want the best for Walthamstow. However, we’re not giving up just yet- I made a pledge to residents at the election to fight for our stadium because of the future potential it offers our community and I owe it to them to continue to explore who can hear our concerns now. That’s why I’m now making a public plea to the Government to listen to Walthamstow and asking residents to make their feelings known to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

The questions this development in its current format raises around value for money in housing
developments, the status of social and affordable housing in planning and the role of section 106
agreements in the current financial climate have implications far beyond E17. I hope Eric Pickles sees
this and exercises his right to call in this decision and scrutinise it to show he is serious about getting
the best for British tax payers.”

Please find below a suggested email to send to Eric Pickles MP, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government – he now has 21 days to decided whether to intervene.

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Suggested email to send to Eric Pickles MP-

Send your email to eric.pickles@communities.gsi.gov.uk and please include your name and address in all your correspondence with the Secretary of State.

“Dear Mr Pickles,

I’m writing to you as a concerned taxpayer to ask you to exercise your power as Secretary of Statefor Communities and Local Government to call in the decision by Waltham Forest Council and theMayor of London to approve planning for the Walthamstow Dogtrack to be turned into a housingestate. This is because I believe this development raises serious questions of national importanceabout value for money to the taxpayer.

In particular, I’m deeply troubled by the evidence that this development will lose money for L&Q– who receive public subsidy as a registered social landlord- given their own viability assessmentwhich they sought to keep out of the public domain shows a loss of £14m. Furthermore, the natureof the section 106 agreement for this proposal is also unclear and there is a lack of any socialhousing in this development, despite being in an area with a need for such properties. Therefore,without scrutiny I am concerned that if this development goes ahead it may set a new and troublingprecedent on questions of value for money for housing, not just in Walthamstow but across thecountry. The existence of a viable alternative that is in keeping with the heritage of this site andwould provide not only leisure facilities but also housing and living wage jobs further compounds

the concerns many have about the decision to approve L&Q’s plans. As someone who has previouslyshown a strong interest in this development, please urgently exercise your power as Secretary ofState to call in this decision to ensure the public purse is not at risk from this proposal.

I look forward to a positive response and thank you for help in investigating this matter.